Effective Delegation

Quick reference

• 00:04 Welcome back.
• 00:05 In this lesson, we'll discuss the importance of delegation, and
• 00:09 give you some strategies to help delegate tasks efficiently,
• 00:12 which can ultimately boost your own productivity.
• 00:15 If you're managing a team or project, you're going to need to delegate tasks
• 00:19 to different people, so you can make progress.
• 00:22 But even if you're not in a leadership position, you're going to find yourself on
• 00:27 teams where you share work, or need to team up to finish something together.
• 00:32 Delegation can help you reduce workload and stress,
• 00:36 enhance overall team productivity, develop your team's skills and abilities.
• 00:42 Encourage trust and collaboration, and
• 00:45 allow you to focus on higher impact and strategic tasks.
• 00:51 To delegate effectively,
• 00:53 you first need to identify which tasks can be assigned to others.
• 00:57 Here's some criteria to think about, tasks that require specialized skills or
• 01:02 knowledge that your team members possess, those are good ones to delegate.
• 01:08 Repetitive tasks that don't require your specific expertise,
• 01:12 those are great ones to give to say a junior team member if possible.
• 01:17 Tasks that offer learning opportunities for your team members and
• 01:21 non-urgent tasks that you don't have time to complete due to higher priority
• 01:26 responsibilities, delegate these as well.
• 01:29 You can see, it's not all about just getting things off your list of to-do's,
• 01:34 but balancing the work amongst your teammates,
• 01:37 and providing the best opportunities for everyone.
• 01:42 Now, here are some key steps for efficient delegation.
• 01:46 Number 1, choose the right person.
• 01:48 Select a team member with the skill set and availability to perform the task.
• 01:53 Consider their workload, their interest in the task, and the potential for growth.
• 02:00 Next, communicate the task clearly, provide a comprehensive overview of
• 02:05 the task, its purpose, and the expected outcome.
• 02:09 Clearly define the scope, deadlines, and any relevant resources or
• 02:13 support available. In other words,
• 02:16 give them all the information they need to get the job done.
• 02:21 Delegate authority along with responsibility,
• 02:25 empower your team member with the authority they need to make decisions and
• 02:29 take the required actions to complete the task.
• 02:33 You don't want them to come back to you for approval every time they take a step,
• 02:37 you should absolutely be there to provide guidance when needed, but
• 02:42 otherwise they should own the task.
• 02:45 Next, set expectations and establish checkpoints.
• 02:49 Have a chat about the goals or desired results of the task and
• 02:52 set up regular times to check in and see how things are going.
• 02:57 This approach helps avoid any confusion along the way and
• 03:00 keeps the project running smoothly.
• 03:03 If you're in a leadership position, do what you can to establish an environment
• 03:08 of open communication, so any issues can be raised and discussed immediately.
• 03:14 Offer support and constructive feedback to guide the team member and
• 03:17 help them get the job done.
• 03:20 If you follow these steps, delegating tasks will help you and
• 03:24 the others on your team recognize those great benefits.
• 03:28 Saving time, working more efficiently, and
• 03:31 everyone will be more productive in the process.
• 03:35 In our next lesson, we'll explore the importance of evaluating requests and
• 03:39 mastering the art of saying no when necessary, we'll see you then.

Lesson notes are only available for subscribers.